AusLeisure

AUSTSWIM teacher Fadila Chafic is struggling to keep up with demand for the ladies only swimming and water safety classes she has recently started in south west Sydney.

Earlier this year Fadila featured in a SBS news story about a European Human Rights Court ruling that a Muslim family in Switzerland must allow their two daughters to attend mixed swimming lessons. The SBS news crew identified her for the story when they found her shopping for Muslim swimwear.

However, Chafic explained that segregation was not a big issue in her usual five days a week teaching schedule at the Blue Water Swim School and Roselands Aquatic Centre.

She explained "the children have no issues about being in mixed classes and everyone realises we are living in Australia, surrounded by water, so swimming and water safety is really important."

By contrast, Chafic has found that older women prefer segregated classes, and to meet this demand she has set up Saturday evening classes for them.

At the moment she runs two classes with five participants, both Muslim and non-Muslim, in each.

Chafic commented "a lot of the older ladies (in Arab communities) weren't allowed to swim when they were children (so) it's really great to see them in the water and gaining confidence."

Chafic, aged 26, who has been an AUSTSWIM licensed teacher for 10 years, developed her love of water as a child.

She recalls "we would do squad training as children. Mum would always send us to three lessons a week, and that's where my love began."

As well as her ladies only classes Fadila teaches children of all ages, including her daughter Taaleen, aged four, and son Ibrahim, three.

She concludeds "I love when you have a student that doesn't quite get something, and you work on that skill and they finally get it and it just lights up in their face.

"It just brings absolute joy that you've actually brought that to them."

Although not part of an official CALD program, Chafic 's work is great testament to the success of truly inclusive teaching for all groups in the community.

Chafic is planning to continue her professional development and complete the AUSTSWIM Teacher of Aquatics Access and Inclusion course.

Image of Fadila Chafic courtesy of SBS.

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